A new voice in shaping Africa's future

Boston Globe ^ | 7/17/2002 | Charles R. Stith

[Cincinatus' Wife]

ON JULY 9, amid fanfare and fireworks, 43 African heads of state ceremoniously pronounced the Organization for African Unity dead and heralded the birth of the African Union.

Putting aside the historical significance of the moment, the rationale for the change was rather pedestrian. The Organization for African Unity was founded almost 40 years ago to liberate Africa from colonialism and apartheid. Now that Africans have their countries back, the question is, how do they make them work.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

That those gathered at the summit had the presence of mind and sense of history to appreciate that democracy and economic reform are where Africa's best interests lie is cause for optimism. However, such optimism will be short-lived if the world, including Africans, stay riveted on the most difficult cases on the continent. If that is the focus, the work ahead will be more daunting than it has to be. That is to say, if the early tests of the African Union's viability hinge on its ability to resolve the conflicts in Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda quickly and persuade Mugabe, Khadafy, and others to step aside, then it's over before it starts.

It's hard to ignore the deliberate and politically motivated starvation of millions of people. We must focus on Mugabe (Zimbabwe) and his former friend and current competitor for confiscated farms, Khadafy (Gadaafi). How the African Union confronts these tyrants (and up until now it's been more approval than condemnation) will, or will not give credibility to every other aspect of their agenda.

South Africa needs to be put in the problem column not in the "making strides" column. Sunday Times of South Africa - Dec 30, 2001 - Annus horribilis as Aids and terrorism wreak tragedy

[Cincinatus' Wife]

April 9, 2002 - Senegalese Loner Works to Build Africa, His Way***"I've never seen a country develop itself through aid or credit," said Mr. Wade, who was trained as an economist in Senegal and at the Sorbonne. "Countries that have developed - in Europe, America, Japan, Asian countries like Taiwan, Korea and Singapore - have all believed in free markets. There is no mystery there. Africa took the wrong road after independence."***

April 19, 2002 - Zimbabwe's sole African critic, Senegalese***Wade, a 76-year-old leader elected in 2000 after more than two decades in opposition, emerged as the only African leader to condemn the vote. Last summer, he stood nearly as alone among African leaders in dismissing the idea of European reparation for past African enslavement - asking if his own family, former slave-holders like many in Africa, should also pay. On Zimbabwe, he said Friday, "For me, my problem is: Did the people of Zimbabwe express their free choice of election? My answer is 'no.'"

His remarks came as Wade emerged from a week in which he spearheaded African leaders' successful mediation of Madagascar's violent three-month election impasse. After three days of room-to-room shuttling by himself and four other presidents in a Dakar hotel, Madagascar's two rival presidents agreed to a temporary power-sharing plan. "Something very important on that is the consideration Africans have for elder persons," he said of his own role in that effort. "There are very few people who speak frankly, and generally we succeed," he said. The peace-making came on the sidelines of an African leaders' summit in which heads of state laid strategy for a promised massive infusion of Western aid.

Wade broke from one key provision of African leaders' proposal for encouraging good government among themselves - a demand of the wealthy Group of Eight nations promising the aid. The proposal, endorsed by influential Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, calls for a "peer review" in which African leaders themselves keep leaders like Zimbabwe's president in line. "Maybe if there is a problem, they call the head of state ... and maybe scold him," he said. "I am not very optimistic for the good functioning of the system," he said. "In general, we have little capacity to put pressure on a president."***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[backhoe]

Added to the morning mass email, and from there a copy will go into DUBOB 9-- that "stuff" the media doesn't like to talk about, for fear us peons will start asking rude questions they'd rather not have to answer.

[garbanzo]

At the same time, in 1787 the Founding Fathers could have taken a tough line against slavery and broken up the Union. Instead they understood that slavery would best be abolished in time if the slave states were brought into the Union rather than if they were left out.

[Tourist Guy]

Durn it! I saw the title of this thread and was hoping that Al Sharpton had moved. . .

[Cincinatus' Wife]

"stuff" the media doesn't like to talk about, for fear us peons will start asking rude questions they'd rather not have to answer.

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

He knows better. Mugabe wouldn't let him in on the action.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I hope your optimism becomes reality. But I tend to believe African leaders turning a blind eye to despots in this region is more for self interest than a plan of swaying them toward reform. The LIBERAL elite media is both knee jerk anti-white and anti-freemarket. They do everyone a disservice by becomming advocates instead of watch dogs.

[toddst]

The LIBERAL elite media is both knee jerk anti-white and anti-freemarket. They do everyone a disservice by becomming advocates instead of watch dogs.

10-4 on the watchdogs. If the African nations aren't careful the continent is going to free-fall into the 10th century or earlier IMHO. It would be encouraging to see real action taken against Mugabe - and quickly.

[Guillermo]

The way Africa will (continue to) go is the way that benefits its dictators the most.

[William Terrell]

If they can't farm and they can't manufacture, what use will a Union be?

[yendu bwam]

With the founding of the African Union, the answer is: by extending democracy and free market reform across the continent.

It's sadly taken 40 years since decolonization to realize this.

[headsonpikes]

You're correct.

Africa's best hope is revolution and political upheaval.

'Normalcy' simply perpetuates the odious regimes currently in power almost everywhere.

[thegreatbeast]

True enough but only the bad guys have functioning weaponry in most of these ragtag countries. Wresting control of political power in these countries is the job of revolutionaries to be sure, young ones and pleny of 'em!